It's difficult to make good bread today, but it's darned easy to make hot, fresh, world-class bread tomorrow. This focaccia, topped with olives, rosemary, and pistachios, requires no kneading or stretching and results in a crisp, olive oil-scented crust and a puffy, moist, well-risen internal crumb with just the right amount of tender chew. The crux of it is a highly hydrated, no-knead, no-stretch dough. That's right. Zero kneading, zero stretching. It's just about the easiest bread you can imagine making. All it takes is a bit of time. WHY IT WORKS An overnight rest at room temperature precludes the need for any kneading. A high hydration dough spreads itself out into the pan before baking. Extremely high oven temperatures lead to better internal structure and a crust that crisps while the interior crumb stays moist. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 12-inch cast iron skillet INGREDIENTS 500 grams (17 1/2 ounces, about 3 1/4 cups) all-purpose or bread flour 15 grams (.5 ounces, about 1 tablespoon) kosher salt 4 grams (.15 ounces, about 1/2 teaspoon) instant yeast 325 grams (11 1/2 ounces, about 1 1/2 cups minus 1 tablespoon) water 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 ounces pitted green olives, sliced 1/4 cup roasted pistachios, roughly chopped or lightly pounded in a mortar and pestle 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, very roughly chopped Coarse sea salt DIRECTIONS 1. Combine flour, salt, yeast, and water in a large bowl. Mix with hands or a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. The bowl should be at least 4 to 6 times the volume of the dough to account for rising. 2. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, making sure that edges are well-sealed, then let rest on the countertop for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Dough should rise dramatically and fill bowl. 3. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour, then transfer it to a lightly-floured work surface. Form into a ball by holding it with well-floured hands and tucking the dough underneath itself, rotating it until it forms a tight ball. 4. Pour half of oil in the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or large cake pan. Transfer dough to pan, turn to coat in oil, and position seam-side-down. Using a flat palm, press the dough around the skillet, flattening it slightly and spreading oil around the entire bottom and edges of the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough stand at room temperature for 2 hours. After the first hour, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 550°F. 5. At the end of the 2 hours, dough should mostly fill the skillet up to the edge. Use your fingertips to press it around until it fills every corner, popping any large bubbles that appear. Lift up one edge of the dough to let any air bubbles underneath escape and repeat, moving around the dough until there are no air bubbles left underneath and the dough is evenly spread around the skillet. Spread olives and pistachios all over the surface of the dough and press down on them with your fingertips to embed slightly. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and coarse salt. 6. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until top is golden brown and bubbly and bottom is golden brown and crisp when you lift it with a thin spatula, 16 to 24 minutes. Using a thin spatula, loosen focaccia and peek underneath. If bottom is not as crisp as desired, place pan on a burner and cook over medium heat, moving the pan around to cook evenly until it is crisp, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, slice, and serve. Extra bread should be stored in a brown paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes before serving.
These rich stuffed shells are packed with a mixture of crabmeat, shrimp, and scallops, then baked with a creamy sauce and golden, buttery bread crumbs. It's like a crab cake stuffed into pasta. WHY IT WORKS Slightly undercooking the pasta during boiling ensures that it stays al dente during baking. The light béchamel looks too loose at first, but it thickens up as it bakes. Poaching the shrimp directly in the pasta water pot makes cleanup easier. Panko bread crumbs add extra crunch and texture. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 9- by 13-inch baking dish NOTES: You will need about 18 shells total, but it's a good idea to cook extra to account for any that tear or break; half a 12-ounce box of jumbo shells should yield about 25. If you want, you can substitute the scallops with an equal quantity of additional shrimp. INGREDIENTS Kosher salt 6 ounces dry jumbo pasta shells (about 25 shells; 170g) (see note) Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling and greasing the baking dish 8 ounces (225g) peeled and deveined shrimp 1 pound (450g) lump crabmeat, picked over for shells 8 ounces (225g) dry-packed sea scallops, cut into small pieces (see note) 2 tablespoons (30ml) Dijon mustard 1/2 cup (120ml) mayonnaise Dash of Old Bay seasoning 1 medium shallot (about 2 ounces; 60g), minced Small handful minced flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish Freshly ground black pepper 3 1/2 tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter, divided 1 1/2 tablespoons (12g) all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups (360ml) milk 1 bay leaf 1 cup panko bread crumbs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100g) DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) and set rack to middle position. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook shells according to package instructions for baked shells. (Many packages of jumbo shells will give a specific boiling time for dishes that are to be subsequently baked; if yours does not, cook shells for 3 minutes less than the package's recommended cooking time.) Using a spider, slotted spoon, or mesh strainer, carefully transfer shells to a large bowl of cold water until cooled slightly, then drain. (Reserve pasta-cooking water for next step.) Drizzle shells very lightly with oil and toss to coat. Set aside. 2. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Poach shrimp in same pot of pasta water until just barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, chill in ice bath, then drain again. Chop shrimp into small pieces. 3. In a mixing bowl, combine crabmeat with shrimp, scallops, Dijon, mayo, Old Bay, shallot, and parsley. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. 4. In a small saucepan, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons (20g) butter over medium-high heat (do not allow it to brown). Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Continue to cook, stirring, until raw flour scent is gone, about 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk in a thin, steady stream, or in increments of a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking thoroughly and getting into all corners of pan to maintain a homogeneous texture. The sauce will initially be very thick, then get very thin once all the milk is added. Add bay leaf. 5. Heat, stirring, until sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. 6. Lightly grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1/2 cup (120ml) béchamel sauce in an even layer on bottom of baking dish. Using a spoon, fill a shell with a large scoop of seafood mixture and place in baking dish with the opening side up. Repeat until baking dish is full. (You should be able to fit about 18 stuffed shells in the dish, and may have a few pasta shells left over.) 7. Spoon remaining 1 cup (240ml) béchamel sauce on top of shells. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons (30g) butter and toss with bread crumbs in a small bowl; season with salt. Sprinkle bread crumbs all over shells. 8. Bake shells until heated through, about 25 minutes. Switch oven to broiler setting and, watching very closely to prevent burning, broil until bread crumbs turn golden on top, rotating baking dish occasionally for even browning. Scatter minced parsley on top for garnish and serve.
If you've ever cooked that great Rick Bayless recipe for pozole verde, the Mexican meat and hominy soup flavored with green chilies and tomatillos, you'd know that it's a beast. The truth is, unless you've got the day off, cooking pozole on a Thursday is nothing more than a sueño imposible. My goal was to come up with a recipe that is not only delicious, but fast enough that it can reasonably be made on a Thursday night. The recipe I came up with may or may not be authentic, but it sure as heck is delicious. WHY IT WORK Streamlining multi-day, multi-pot traditional pozole recipes into a single Dutch oven makes this recipe doable on a weeknight. Searing the green salsa adds depth to its flavor. Pumpkin seeds add nutty flavor and a creamy texture. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Dutch oven, blender NOTES: You can use dried hominy in place of canned. Soak dried hominy in water overnight. Drain and cook in fresh water at a gentle simmer until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Drain and use as directed. INGREDIENTS For the Soup: 3 ounces pumpkin seeds (85g; about 1/2 cup) 2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken leg quarters (1.2kg; about 3 leg quarters) 1 pound tomatillos (450g) 1 large white onion, roughly chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, stems and seeds removed, roughly chopped 1 poblano pepper, stems and seeds removed, roughly chopped 1 Anaheim pepper, stems and seeds removed, roughly chopped 6 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock (1.5 liters) 2 tablespoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican (about 8g) 2 sprigs epazote (optional) Salt Handful fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems 1 (28-ounce; 800g) can white hominy, drained (see note) To Serve: Diced avocado Diced radishes Thinly sliced serrano or jalapeño peppers Chopped fresh cilantro leaves Finely chopped white onion DIRECTIONS 1. For the Soup: Heat pumpkin seeds in the base of a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until they start to pop and smell nutty, about 4 minutes. Transfer pumpkin seeds to a bowl and set aside. 2. Add chicken, tomatillos, onion, peppers, chicken stock, oregano, epazote (if using), and a large pinch of salt to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken and vegetables are completely tender, about 40 minutes. 3. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a large plate or bowl and set aside. Discard epazote sprigs (if using). Set a large fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the broth through it. Transfer solids to the jar of a blender. Add pumpkin seeds and cilantro to the blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Set aside. 4. Using a ladle, carefully skim off a few tablespoons of fat from the strained stock and add it to the Dutch oven (it's okay if a little stock gets in as well). Heat over high heat, swirling and stirring until the watery stock completely evaporates and starts to form a browned layer in the bottom of the pan. (It will spatter a bit. The more you stir, the less it will spatter.) As soon as the chicken fat starts to smoke, pour in the contents of the blender all at once and cook, stirring, for about 15 seconds (it will spatter a lot—wear an apron!). Immediately pour in strained chicken stock and fat and stir to combine. Bring to a bare simmer, stir in hominy, season to taste with salt, and keep warm. 5. By this stage, the chicken should be cool enough to handle. Discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces with your fingertips. Stir the picked chicken back into the soup. 6. To Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with diced avocado and radish, sliced chilies, chopped cilantro, and chopped white onion. Serve immediately.
These miniature salmon burgers are proof that big flavors come in small packages. Fresh salmon in a pineapple-teriyaki glaze, seared pineapple slices, lightly mashed avocado, and peppery watercress make them the perfect sweet and savory summer sandwiches. WHY IT WORKS Mayonnaise folded into the salmon patties helps keep them moist. The thick glaze that forms after plenty of reduction time provides an amazing coating for the patties. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: food processor, parchment paper, baking sheet, pastry brush, instant-read thermometer NOTES: Make sure to use a large pot to make the glaze. While this might seem excessive, the glaze boils up significantly, so using a bigger pot will help you avoid boil-overs. INGREDIENTS For the Glaze: 2 cups light brown sugar 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice 1 cup water 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought teriyaki sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 1/2 small white onion, finely minced 4 medium cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons peeled fresh ginger, minced For the Salmon Patties: 1 1/2 pounds fresh, raw salmon, skin and bones removed, divided 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped To Cook and Serve: 2 Hass avocados, pitted and peeled Kosher salt 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil, divided 6 fresh pineapple rings, quartered Freshly ground black pepper 12 Hawaiian-style rolls, toasted 1 1/2 cups fresh watercress DIRECTIONS 1. For the Glaze: In a large pot, stir together brown sugar, pineapple juice, water, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a full boil, then lower heat to a vigorous simmer. Stir in the rice vinegar, onion, garlic, and ginger. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half and syrupy, about 30 minutes. (If the glaze seems to climb the pot and you’re at risk of it boiling over, the heat is too high. Reduce the heat until you have small, consistent bubbles that don't threaten to escape the pot.) Set aside to cool. 2. Meanwhile, for the Salmon Patties: Chop salmon into 1-inch cubes and place half in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until only small pieces remain (about 5 pulses), then add mayonnaise and remaining salmon. Continue to pulse until well distributed, with some larger chunks of salmon remaining. You do not want a paste, but you want to be able to mold the mixture into patties. 3. Scrape salmon mixture into a bowl, mix in scallions, then form into 12 evenly sized patties. Set the patties on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to cook. 4. To Cook and Serve: In a small bowl, gently mash the avocado with a spoon. Season lightly with salt and set aside. 5. Add 2 teaspoons oil to a medium skillet and set over medium heat until shimmering. Add pineapple rings, brush top side with glaze, then turn and brush other side with glaze. Cook, turning and applying more glaze, until lightly caramelized. Remove pineapple from skillet and set aside. 6. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and set over medium-high heat until shimmering. Season salmon patties with salt and pepper, then cook in batches until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Brush liberally with glaze and cook for 1 minute longer on each side, applying more glaze when you flip the patties. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, turning and brushing with glaze, until salmon burgers are medium-rare (115°F on an instant-read thermometer) or medium (125°F), about 2 minutes longer. 7. Assemble burgers in this order: bottom bun, watercress, salmon patty, mashed avocado, glazed pineapple, top bun. Serve warm.
This punch, from Zac Overman of Sitka & Spruce in Seattle, is mouthwateringly tart and slightly fizzy, juicy and a little herbal, thanks to fresh strawberries, thyme, and Bonal, a flavorful French aperitif that's bittered with cinchona and gentian. It's easy to batch up the punch mix in advance, then combine it with Cava, Crémant, or another dry sparkling wine in each serving glass. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Small lidded pitcher or quart-size Mason jar, fine-mesh strainer, Collins glasses for serving INGREDIENTS For the Strawberry-Thyme Syrup: 1 cup (240ml) water 1 cup (195g) sugar 1/2 cup quartered strawberries (about 5 to 6 small berries; 65g) 7 sprigs fresh thyme For the Punch Mix: 4 ounces (120ml) Strawberry-Thyme Syrup 6 ounces (180ml) pisco (such as Barsol) 6 ounces (180ml) Bonal 6 ounces (180ml) fresh juice from 4 lemons To Serve: 1 (750ml) bottle dry sparkling wine, chilled DIRECTIONS 1. For the Strawberry-Thyme Syrup: Add water, sugar, strawberries, and thyme to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove solids. Let cool before using. Syrup can be refrigerated up to 1 week. 2. For the Punch Mix: Combine Strawberry-Thyme Syrup, pisco, Bonal, and lemon in a small lidded pitcher or quart-size Mason jar. (You will have 22 ounces of the punch mix.) Stir to combine. At this point, mix can be used immediately or covered and refrigerated up to 10 hours. Extra Strawberry-Thyme Syrup can be served with seltzer for a nonalcoholic drink. 3. To Serve: Fill each Collins glass with ice. Add 3 ounces sparkling wine and 2 3/4 ounces punch mix to each glass and stir gently. Serve immediately.
If you love chocolate-covered cherries, this festive layer cake is just for you. With tart cherry juice in the batter and freeze-dried cherries in the whipped cream frosting, it's a bright and fruity twist on an otherwise classic chocolate cake. The flavor of the cake itself depends on rich, full-flavored cocoa powder, whether natural or Dutch-process. I recommend either Valrhona or Cacao Barry Extra Brute, both of which have twice the cocoa butter of the most popular supermarket brand. WHY IT WORKS Tart cherry juice brings out chocolate's fruitier qualities, while its acidity reacts with baking soda to help the cake rise. Aromatic ingredients, like cinnamon, vanilla, and almond, amplify the cherry flavor. Neutral oils like safflower simplify the cake's flavor, putting the focus on chocolate. Fruity whipped cream makes a simple but festive frosting. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Stand mixer, two 8-inch by 2- or 3-inch anodized aluminum cake pans, food processor, serrated knife, cast iron turntable (optional), offset spatula NOTES: This recipe works well with many different combinations of tart juice and freeze-dried fruit, so don't be afraid to branch out if you can't find (or don't like) cherry. Tart fruits, like black currant, blueberry, and cranberry, pair well with chocolate, so look for them in juiced and freeze-dried form. INGREDIENTS For the Cakes: 6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups; 170g) 4 ounces good-quality cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process (about 1 1/3 cups; 115g) 8 ounces sugar (about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons; 225g) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon (1g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 4 large eggs, straight from the fridge 9 ounces neutral oil, such as safflower or sunflower (1 1/3 cups; 255g) 10 ounces pure, unsweetened tart cherry juice (1 1/4 cups; 285g) (see note) For the Cherry Whipped Cream: 2 ounces freeze-dried cherries (about 1 cup; 55g), plus more for garnishing (see note) 3 1/2 ounces sugar (about 1/2 cup; 100g) 24 ounces heavy cream (3 cups; 680g) DIRECTIONS 1. For the Cakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Meanwhile, line two 8-inch anodized aluminum cake pans with parchment and grease lightly. Sift flour and cocoa together to combine. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and eggs. Whip on medium-high until foamy and light, about 5 minutes, then drizzle in oil. Reduce speed to low and add tart cherry juice, followed by sifted flour/cocoa mixture. When mixture is well combined, divide between prepared cake pans, adding about 22 ounces (620g) to each. Bake until puffed and firm, about 25 minutes; a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake will leave a few crumbs attached. Cool cakes in their pans until no trace of warmth remains, about 45 minutes. 2. For the Cherry Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a food processor, grind freeze-dried fruit and sugar until powdery and fine, about 90 seconds. Add cream and stir with a fork to ensure no dry pockets of sugar/fruit are stuck in the corners, then process until thick and creamy like Greek yogurt, about 5 minutes. The time will vary with the horsepower of your machine, so watch it like a hawk to avoid making fruity butter by mistake. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed. 3. To Assemble the Cake: Using a serrated bread knife, trim the dome from each cake so that the layers stack neatly and can absorb moisture from the cream. Place 1 cake (cut side up) on a serving plate, cake stand, or cast iron turntable. Top with 1 cup cherry whipped cream and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Place second cake (cut side down) on top. Smooth cream around sides, then wipe spatula clean. Spread another cup of cherry whipped cream in an even layer on top of cake, then use remaining whipped cream to generously cover sides and decorate by swirling cream with the back of a spoon. If you like, sprinkle with freeze-dried cherries just before serving. 4. Under a cake dome or loosely wrapped in plastic, the cake will keep up to 24 hours at room temperature. Alternatively, the cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 3 days, then brought to room temperature to serve.
If you can't understand the allure of made-from-scratch Bagel Bites, there's nothing I can say or do to convince you. This is a recipe for the hardcore fans, those of us who've longed for bite-size pizza poppers that taste as good as we remember—chewy, cheesy, salty, and crisp. WHY IT WORKS Baking mini bagels on a wire rack prevents their bottoms from browning, keeping them tender and easy to eat. Lightly toasting the split bagels will prevent them from absorbing the red sauce, which would make them soggy. Diced pepperoni offers better distribution on the mini pizzas, while also matching the look of real Bagel Bites. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 10-inch skillet, food processor, 3- or 4-quart stainless steel pot, wire rack NOTES: Thanks to the keeping qualities of my bagel dough, this recipe is great spread out over the course of a few days. So make the dough and sauce whenever you have a chance, bake off the bagels when it's convenient, then assemble at your leisure. INGREDIENTS Homemade Bagel dough 1 ounce barley malt syrup (4 teaspoons; 30g), optional Quick and Easy Italian-American Red Sauce Salt, pepper, and fennel seed to taste 12 ounces finely shredded mozzarella cheese (3 cups; 340g) 6 ounces pepperoni, such as Vermont Smoke & Cure (1 link; 170g) DIRECTIONS 1. For the Mini Bagels: Prepare dough as directed, then divide into 16 equal portions, about 1 1/2 ounces or 43g each. Cup a portion of dough beneath your palm and work in quick, circular motions to form a tight skin around the ball, with only a tiny seam along the bottom. If the seam is large or irregular, continue rounding until the bottom is nearly smooth. Cover with plastic and let rest 15 minutes. Poke a hole into the center of each portion with a damp fingertip, then gently stretch into a 1 1/2–inch ring, wetting your hands in cold water as needed to prevent sticking. Arrange on a well-greased, parchment-lined half sheet pan, cover with plastic, and refrigerate 24 to 36 hours, depending on your schedule. 2. To Boil and Bake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 425°F (218°C). Nest a wire baking rack in a half sheet pan, then cover with parchment. Fill a stainless steel pot with about 3 inches of water, stir in malt (if using), and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet or cutting board with a thick layer of paper towels. Working with three or four at a time, boil the bagels, about 15 seconds per side. Place on paper towels, then immediately transfer to the prepared half sheet pan. (If left on the paper towels too long, the bagels will stick; if this happens, quickly dip the bagel back into the hot water, and the wet paper towel will peel right off.) Bake until blistered and golden brown all over, about 18 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes before proceeding to the next step, or store mini bagels up to 36 hours in a paper bag. 3. To Finish: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 450°F (232°C). Split mini bagels horizontally with a serrated knife, arrange half on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and toast only until their surface is a little dry, about 5 minutes. Top each with a few tablespoons of red sauce, followed by a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and fennel seed, followed by a generous mound of cheese and a small handful of diced pepperoni. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 16 minutes, and serve immediately. Repeat with remaining bagel halves for round two.
